Six-year-old Sylvie, who has a form of blood cancer similar to leukaemia, has chemotherapy treatment shared between the Royal London and Great Ormond Street Hospital.<\/p>\n
She has a surgical implant in her chest which needs to be regularly accessed using a needle.<\/p>\n
Her mother Rebecca said: “At the beginning of her treatment she found that really traumatic and really difficult. <\/p>\n
“A lot of that was about her not understanding what was happening – people’s hands coming towards her, needles coming towards her.”<\/p>\n
After Sylvie began working with Katie, her mother said: “It transformed her experience. <\/p>\n
“It’s been so, so important for Sylvie, dealing with her anxiety, having that trauma-informed approach.”<\/p>\n
Cathy Gilman, chief executive of Starlight, said: “We have evidence that shows that where health play specialists are involved, a procedure like an MRI for example, can be conducted without anaesthetic.<\/p>\n
“That means save the anaesthesia, fewer people involved, costs savings in the team. We can show that play really does pay.<\/p>\n
“But most important of all, it’s about children’s experience of healthcare and making it as good as it can be so their lifelong experience of healthcare is a positive one.”<\/p>\n
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